Slide operated fastener



G; SCHER 2,382,261

SLIDE OPERATED FASTENER- Filed July 5, 1945 FIGS. Fl s4.

INVENTOR. GEORGE SCHER ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 14, 1945 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE SLIDE OPERATED FASTENER George Scher, South Orange, N. J.Application July 5, 1943, Serial No. 493,562

3 Claims.

' provide a slide fastener which will minimize the possibility ofcatching extraneous material between the slider and the fastener memberswith resultant jamming of the slider and injury to the material caughtthereby. Other objects of the invention will be apparent.

A preferred illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in theaccompanying drawing 7 wherein Figure 1 is a view in elevation of aslide fastener comprising two series of fastener members, each mountedupon a stringer in the usual manner, and a cooperating slider;

Figure 2 is a cross section of the assembled parts shown in Figure 1 onthe line 2-2 of said figure looking in the direction of the arrow;

Figures 3 and 4 are respectively front and side elevations of the slidershown in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the slider as shown in Figure 3 taken onthe line 5-5 thereof and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figures 6, 7 and 8 are respectively a top plan view, an end elevation,and a bottom plan view of a single fastener member before attachment toa stringer, Figure 7 being taken from the side of Figure 6 indicated bythe reference line l--'I;

Figures 9 and 10 are respectively a side elevation and a longitudinalsection of the fastener member shown in the previous figures;

interiorly, with the result that the fastener members themselves willserve to deflect from contact with the slider any extraneous materialwhich may underlie or overlie the fastener members.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawing, two stringers I' and 2 ofconventional construction are shown. The stringers I and 2 are provided.respectively with beaded edges 3 and l in the usual manner. Uniformlyspaced along the beaded edge of each stringer are fastener members 5which for any given assembly are identical in shape and size. In theaccompanying drawings the fastener members are shown in Figure 1 andFigures 6 toll inclusive. Each individual fastener member is providedwith ,projections 6 and I forming a jaw adapted to be closed down uponthe beaded edge of the stringers I and 2 as shown in Figure 2.

Each individual fastener member is also provided with L-shaped arms 8and 8, which between them define a centrally located slotted opening toengage appropriately shaped parts of the slider. in a manner to behereinafter described, and with matching projections and indentations bywhich one series of fastener memhers is engaged with the other series.

Referring first to Figures 6 to 11 it will be seen that the arms 8 and 9of each fastener member are provided with integrally formed projectionsH! and I I which are symmetrically located with respect to the slottedopening defined by the arms 8 and 9 as above described and whichtogether define an arcuate line from one lower corner to the oppositelower corner of the fastener member,

Figure 11 is a sectional view of the three fastener members in lockedposition and of the type shown in previous figures, the section beingtaken along the plane indicated by the line II --II of Figure 6.

Slide fasteners of the general type herein shown are usually made up ofa number of identical fastener members attached to stringers which inturn'are secured to the edges of material to the center of said arelying in a plane midway between the arms 8 and! as clearly shown inFigure 7. Matching indentations I2 and I3 are formed in the under sideof the fastener member, as clearly shown in Figure 8 and indicated bydotted lines in Figures '7, 9 and 10. The inter engagement of theprojections and indentations In accordance with the usual practice, aseries of fasteners of one type or the other above described may beassembled upon the stringers I of ea posed fastener members. ,of theslider in a downward direction the fastener 1 members will besuccessively separated from each and 2, properly spaced along the beadededges thereof and firmly attached thereto by closing the jaws formed bythe prongs 6 and 1. Also in ac-- cordance with the usual practice aconnecting link It may serve to hold the stringers together at one endand stops I1 and I8 attached to the beads of the stringers may serve toprevent the complete withdrawal of the slider which will now bedescribed.

Referring particularly to Figures 3, 4 and it will be observed that theslider comprises a web l9, two symmetrically arranged and outwardlyflaring guide members 20 and 2| which extend outwardly from each side ofthe web in a plane at right angles thereto, and a wedge shaped block 22which extends outwardly on both sides of the "web, as well as a lug 23to which a pivoted handle 24 is attached for easy engagement of theslider by the hand of the operator.

The guide members 20 and 2| and the web 58 are so proportioned, as'shown in Figure 2, that they will engage with reasonable tolerances theslotted openings 26 in the individual fastener members. Thus as theslider is moved upwardly in Figure l, successive fastener members willbe guided into position first from one series and then from the otherso" that the projections l0 and II bh fastener member will be broughtinto engagement with the indentations l2 and I3 of op- By reversemovement other, both by the action of the guide members 20 and 2| andthe web shaped block 22.

Inasmuch as the engagement between the slider and each of the fastener.members takes place interiorly of the latter and the slider does not, asis usual, overlie the fastener members, there will be much lessopportunity for the slider 'to catch extraneous material and becomejammed upon the fastener members.

It will, of course, be understood that the invention may be variouslymodified and embodied within the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A slide fastener element including Jaws at its inner end forconnecting it with a stringer, a pair of arms extending toward theopposite end of said fastener element and defining a slotted opening forengagement bythe slider, saidarms being shaped to reduce the width ofthe slot at the forward ends of the arms, top surfaces on the arms andat substantially the same height on opposite sides of the slot, bottomsurfaces on the arms under said top surfaces, a projection on the topsurface of each arm, aligned indentations on the bottom surfaces of thearms forming in effect a single indentation that extends on both sidesof the slot for engaging the projections of an oppositely disposedfastener member, the projections being spaced and shaped toengage theindentations at points separated by a distance greater than the width ofthe slot that separates thefastener element and defining a slottedopening forv engagement by the slider, said arms being shaped to reducethe'width of the slot at the forward ends of the arms, top surfaces onthe arms and at substantially the same height on opposite sides of theslot, bottom surfaces on the arms under said top surfaces, a projectionon the top surface of each arm, aligned indentations on thebottomsurfaces of the arms forming in effect. a single indentation thatextendspngboth sidesot the slot and provides a bottom engagement bearingfor contact with a complementary top engagement bearing provided by theprojections on the top surface of a similar but oppositely disposedadjacent fastener member immediately below, at least one of theengagement bearings of the fastener member having a center of curvatureon an axis that extends substantially parallel to said arms and that islocated below the slot that separates the forward end portions of saidarms.

GEORGE SCHER.

